Claire M. Schmidt

Claire M. (Brunelle) Schmidt, 85, of West Dennis, died peacefully at her home on Wednesday November 28, 2007. She was the wife of Alexander H. Schmidt.

Born in Worcester, Mrs. Schmidt lived in West Boylston for 38 years before moving to Cape Cod in 1993. She was a graduate of Clark University and held Masters Degrees from Assumption College and Worcester State College. During World War II, Mrs. Schmidt attended Purdue University to study engineering and worked as an airplane mechanic in Maine. Mrs. Schmidt was a Special Education teacher for the city of Worcester for many years. She was one of the founders and Head Teacher of the Woodard Day School, a school for emotionally disturbed adolescents, on the grounds of Worcester State Hospital. Upon her retirement in 1984, the school established the Claire Schmidt Annual Award, given to the most deserving student each year.

Mrs. Schmidt was a member of the Scholastic Honor Society and earned numerous awards in her career as an educator. She was also a long-time member of Holy Trinity Church in West Harwich and a member of the Hearing Association of Cape Cod (formerly SSHH) for many years.

Throughout her life,, Mrs. Schmidt maintained a passion for reading. She visited the public library weekly and enjoyed combing the shelves of the local used-book shops. She loved to collect seashells and one of her favorite pastimes was walking the beaches of Sanibel Island and Cape Cod. In her younger years, Mrs. Schmidt enjoyed golf, fly fishing, and swimming in the ocean. She was an accomplished sewer, and made clothing and accessories for herself and her family.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Schmidt will be missed by many devoted friends and family members, including her four children, Joanne Usher of Barre, MA, Alex F. Schmidt of Severna Park, MD, Jon A. Schmidt of Tallahassee, FL, and Denyse Schmidt of Bridgeport, CT; seven grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Charlotte Brunelle; her best friend, Pauline Kightlinger; and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Edmond and Mae (McNally) Brunelle; and her brothers, Paul and Edmond Brunelle.

Visiting hours will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday December 1 in the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Ave., South Yarmouth. www.hallettfuneralhome.com. Interment will be private. At the family request, memorial donations may be made to the National Marfan Foundation, 22 Manhasset Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050, www.marfan.org; or to the Alzheimer's Services of Cape Cod & the Islands, 712 Main St., Hyannis, MA 02601, www.alzcapecod.org.